The safe delivery of quadruplets in Bauchi State has been hailed as a significant success of Nigeria’s maternal healthcare reforms.
On September 18 2025, 35-year-old Hauwa Usman gave birth to two boys and two girls via caesarean section at the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital, Azare. She had been referred to the hospital under the Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (CEmONC) programme, which offers free emergency services to vulnerable women.
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) stated that the intervention was lifesaving. Hauwa had initially been diagnosed with triplets and a malpresentation of the foetus. Her husband travelled 35 kilometres from their village in Gambaki to ensure she could access the programme. Officials said the referral not only saved Hauwa and her children but also spared the family crushing medical bills.
“CEmONC is designed for women in underserved areas. All treatments are free, protecting families from financial hardship while reducing maternal deaths,” NHIA Director-General Dr Kelechi Ohiri said in a statement.
Launched in August 2024 under the Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative, the programme is part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. By January 2025, approximately N87 million had been spent on services for 2,819 women who accessed them.
Hospital Chief Medical Director Dr Dauda Katagum described the intervention as a lifeline for poor families, saying it has already saved many mothers and babies in the region.
The NHIA urged more families to take advantage of the initiative, promising continued investment to advance maternal and child health across Nigeria.
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